This is the text version of the contents of the www directory. If you don't have a web broweser installed, this file will come up. I highly recommend you installing a web browser like Microsoft Internet Explorer (it's free!), even if you aren't connected to the internet, because many people besides us are now using HTML as a standard way to give documentation because it can include pictures, audio, animation and all kinds of fun stuff. If you do have a web browser, but the system didn't recognize it, please open the file index.html in the www directory of the CD and view the documents there. Your eyes will thank you.
ááá If you haven't played Armor Command yet, or are just getting started, you are about to play a game that is unlike any other you have played. We will warn you ahead of time that Armor Command can be very addicting. As you play through the game, you can't get lulled into the feeling that this is just another stategy game where you build a lot of tanks and crush the enemy with overwhelming odds. True, there are some very intense missions with some incredible action, and maybe crushing the enemy will work, but not always. The tactics you use from mission to mission vary considerably. We'll warn you ahead of time that you will be required to really think through many of our missions, just don't forget to have fun. To get you started with a bit of advice: If the tactic you try the first time fails, you may want to try something else, because the way you think looks best to go, probably is wrong. Beware of things that look too easy. Anyways, don't forget to have a lot of fun. Check back on our website from time to time, we will be releasing extra missions, multiplayer maps and multiplayer missions, extra vehicles and more on our website and in future expansion packs.
________________________________
Network Multiplayer Changes
áHere are instructions of how to use the new multiplayer menu's!
á
These Instruction start at the first Network menu. Please read the networkchanges.htm file by running Armor COmmand and choosing view HTML documentation. The HTML version has pictures and is much easier to comprehend. This version is for those that have no web browser installed.
Step #1
á-Type your name.
- Choose how you are going to connect.
-Click on OK to Continue
-Goto Step #2
Step #2
-Click on ""Show Games" to see a list of avaliable games.
-Choose which game you want to play in the window if a game exists.
- Click on the game in the box and then on join to play it. Goto Step #6.
-If no game exists, click on create. Goto Step #3
- Click on Cancel to go back to Step #1.
Step #3
-Name the New game You created.
-Type Game name in box and hit "OK"
-Goto Step#4
Step #4
- Choose the side you want - UTF or Vrass.
- Choose your color.
- Type in the box and hit enter for everyone else to see.
-Click on "Settings" to choose which map and settings for game. Goto Step #5
-Once Everyone has joined and all settings have been chosená
click on "Start Game" - Then goto Step #7
Step #5
- Choose The Map you want to play on
- Choose how much base and sentinel metal to start with
Here is some things you need to know how to do in order to play:
á
áMining
Use mining vehicle, position your cursor in the center of an active mine, and right click.
Ground and Air Tugs
A.)á Up Arrow on your selected tug to assign your Load/Unload destination, or
B.)á Select Load/Unload destinations or recover canisters using the cursor and right clicking.
Upgrading
Use Upgrade Station, to target vehicle/building, and right click.
Repair
Repair buildings automatically send Repair Pods to nearby damaged units. To set repair priority, use repair building, target nearby vehicle, and right click. (Once to repair, twice to lock repair)
Drag Select
Press and hold the left mouse button and move the mouse across selected area.
Drag Select and Group
Drag Select units and press the ôJö key. (Flying units cannot be grouped with non-flying units. Constructed buildings cannot be grouped with vehicles.)
Flying Vehicles and Heli-Pads.
To reload, select flying vehicle and press Up Arrow. Assign flying vehicle to Heli-Pad (this can also be done by targeting the Heli-Pad from your flying vehicle and right clicking). Only one unit/group can be assigned to a Heli-Pad.
Flying Groups: Attack at Will or Attack in Swarm
Press Up Arrow on flying vehicle and select to Attack at Will or Attack in Swarm. Activate command by pressing Up Arrow again or the Enter key.
Attack at Will - Flying vehicles will attack immediately after reloading.
Attack in Swarm - Flying vehicles will attack only when all flying vehicles in a group have reloaded.
Loading/Unloading Vehicles with the Air Carrier
To Load: Use Air Carrier, select ground vehicle, and right click. Repeat to load up to eight vehicles (or one building in vehicle mode).
To Unload: Wait until Air Carrier is above selected drop zone, position cursor at a non-targetable area (unload command will appear) and right click. Repeat, to unload multiple vehicles.
Constructing
Select building in vehicle mode, place cursor on desired location, and right click. Construction Vehicle will move to selected location and construct into building.
Deconstructing (except landing pads)
Select building, press Up Arrow, and select deconstruct.
Manufacture Units
Select Landing Pad and press the Up Arrow. Choose category from ôOffenseö, ôDefenseö, ôResourceö, ôRadarö or ôSeedshipö, and use the left/right arrow keys to select purchase. Press the Up Arrow to begin manufacture.
Place Landing Pad
Select non-constructed Landing Pad. Camera will shift to Satellite view. Position cursor to select a suitably landing area and left click to deploy the Landing Pad. NOTE: It takes approximately up to 1 minute for the Landing Pad to come fully online. Manufacture orders can be placed immediately, but structural integrity may be compromised during that first minute.
Cancel Sell of units
Cancel sale of unit/group by left clicking for new navigation point. Or hit the "S" key again with the unit selected.
Armor Command Supports the latest in 3D acceleration technology.
Armor Command will play on a wide variety of PC based Pentium, Pentium Pro and Pentium II Class Chips running WIndows 95 with Direct X 5.0
á
Minimumá System Required
Pentium Class CPU of 90Mhz or Better
16MB RAM
4X CD-ROM Drive
30MB of free uncompressed hard drive space
Direct X 5.0 Compatible Video Card. No 3D Accelerator Required (But highly recommended!). You can run Armor Command in Software Emulation only if you don't have a 3D video card.
100% Sound Blaster Compatible Sound Card that is compatible with MS DirectSound
MS compatible mouse
Windows 95 running DirectX 5.0 with all the latest system drivers!
á
Recommended System
Pentium Class CPU 166Mhz or Better with MMX support
16-32MB RAM
8X CD-ROM
50MB of free uncompressed hard drive space
3D Video Accelerator (See list of supported cards below)
100% Sound Blaster Compatible Sound Card that is compatible with MS DirectSound
MS compatible mouse
Windows 95 running DirectX 5.0 with all the latest system drivers!
á
Software Support
Windows 95 utilizing DirectX 5.0 with all the latest drivers.
ááá Armor Command now also supports NT 4.0 running Direct X 3.0 in Software emulation mode. You have to have Service Pack 3 installed under NT 4.0 in order for Armor COmmand to work. Unfortunately Direct X 3.0 doesn't support Native 3D hardware acceleration, so for now, you will have to run in software mode only. Armor Command plays well in software mode, but to get the best performance and look in the game we do recommend that you run in Windows 95 with Direct X 5.0 and use a 3D accelerator card. We recommend a minimum of a 200mhz Pentium with 32MB RAM to run Armor Command under NT 4.0 in Software Rendering mode.
áááá Armor Command has also been tested on, but has not been certified on Microsoft Windows 98 and Microsoft Windows NT 5.0. Full support for these new operating systems will be added when they ship. If you are a beta tester of one of these operating systems and want to run Armor Command, here is a bit of help. Armor Command runs fine under WIndows 98 with hardware acceleration. No major problems with Windows 98 have been reported. If you are running Windows NT 5.0 with Direct X 5.0 you will still have to run in software emulation mode because the Direct 3D acceleration drivers are different. We will try and make patches avaliable at a later date. The S3 Virge chipset is natively supported under NT 5.0 and 3D acceleration however.
á
Multiplayer Requirements
14.4 Modem or better, 28.8 modem recommended for Internet or Direct Play Support
Internet Connection for TCP/IP Play
Heat.netáAccount to play Armor Command on Heat (2-4 players)
MplayeráAccount to play Armor Command on Mpath (2-4 players)á
IPX or TCP/IP LAN for Local Network play (2-4 players) - Only 1 CD Required for 4 players!
75-100MB Free Hard Drive Space for Network game install
Serial Cable for Direct Play (2 players)
Sorry - at this time: Network Play is not supported under NT 4.0 because we require Microsoft Direct Play which is only avaliable in Direct X 5.0.
Armor Command Supports the latest in 3D acceleration technology.
Armor Command will play on a wide variety of PC based Pentium, Pentium Pro and Pentium II Class Chips running WIndows 95 with Direct X 5.0
á
3D Accelerator List
ááááááá Below is a list of the supported (known) boards and vendors. This list might be incomplete. You can click on a vendor's name to jump to their home page on the internet. We'll be updating it as vendors contact us. Also, if you happen to find a board that is not correctly supported, please, notify us immediately by writing email to: jcab@roningames.com and troyd@roningames.com
Creative Labs 3D Blaster PCI Rendition Verite V1000
Creative Labs 3D Blaster Voodoo2 3Dfx Voodoo2
Diamond Monster 3D 3Dfx Voodoo
Diamond Monster 3D II 3Dfx Voodoo2
Diamond Stealth 3D S3 ViRGE
Diamond Stealth II Rendition Verite V2x00
Diamond Fire GL 1000 Pro 3Dlabs Permedia 2
Diamond Viper V330 Nvidia RIVA 128
Hercules Stingray 128/3D 3Dfx Voodoo Rush
Hercules Thriller 3D Rendition Verite V2200
Hercules Dynamite 3D/GL 3Dlabs Permedia 2
Hercules Terminator 3D S3 ViRGE
Intergraph Intense 3D 100 Rendition Verite V1000
Intergraph Intense 3D Voodoo 3Dfx Voodoo Rush
Jazz Adrenaline Rush 3D 3Dfx Voodoo Rush
Jazz Outlaw 3D Rendition Verite V2200
Jazz Renegade 3D 3Dfx Voodoo2
Matrox Mystique á
Matrox Mystique 220 á
Matrox m3D NEC PowerVR PCX2
Number 9 Revolution 3D Number 9 Ticket to Ride
Orchid Righteous 3D 3Dfx Voodoo
STB Velocity 3D S3 ViRGE
STB Velocity 128 Nvidia RIVA 128
STB NITRO 3D S3 ViRGE
STB Symmetric GLyder MAX-2 3Dlabs Permedia 2
Videologic Apocalypse 3Dx NEC PowerVR PCX2
Videologic Apocalypse 5D NEC PowerVR PCX2
Videologic GrafixStar 560 Cirrus Logic Laguna 3D
Videologic GrafixStar 450 S3 ViRGE
ááááááá Below is a list of the supported (known) chipsets and vendors. This list might be incomplete. You can click on a vendor's name to jump to their home page on the internet. We'll be updating it as vendors contact us. Also, if you happen to find a chipset that is not correctly supported, please, notify us immediately by writing email to: jcab@roningames.com and troyd@roningames.com
á Vendor Chipset
3Dfx Voodoo
3Dfx Voodoo Rush
3Dfx Voodoo2
3Dlabs Permedia 2
ATI Rage II
ATI Rage Pro
Chromatic Research Mpact 2
Cirrus Logic Laguna 3D
NEC PowerVR PCX1
NEC PowerVR PCX2
Nvidia RIVA 128
Number 9 Ticket to Ride
Rendition Verite V1000
Rendition Verite V2x00
S3 ViRGE
If you are a hardware manufacturer and your board or chipset is not properly supported, please contact troyd@roningames.com.
We are working hard to support as many 3d accelerators natively as possible.
á
á
Setting up your 3D hardware acceleration for best results
Armor Command Supports the latest in 3D acceleration technology.
Armor Command will play on a wide variety of PC based Pentium, Pentium Pro and Pentium II Class Chips running WIndows 95 with Direct X 5.0
á
Screen Resolution Help
ááááááá In Armor Command, you can change the in-game screen resolution to any size you want, up to 1600x1280 (we haven't really tested anything above 1024x768, but we thought that maybe somebody would like to show off :) You should be aware of the video memory that each resolution uses:
á Resolution Non-Zbuffered Hardware 3D memory Zbuffered Hardware 3D memory Software 3D memory
512x384 0.75 MB 1.1 MB 0.75 MB
640x400 1 MB 1.5 MB 1 MB
640x480 1.2 MB 1.8 MB 1.2 MB
800x600 1.9 MB 2.8 MB 1.9 MB
1024x768 3 MB 4.5 MB 3 MB
1280x1024 5 MB 7.5 MB 5 MB
1600x1280 8 MB 12 MB 8 MB
ááááááá Non-Zbuffered memory is applicable when your hardware acceleration is through a chipset that doesn't use memory for the Zbuffer like, for example, the NEC PowerVR. Software rendering memory doesn't require video memory for the Zbuffer, because it'll allocate it in the computer's main memory.
ááááááá To this amounts, you have to add memory needed for the textures. Depending on the chipset, this can vary from 0.5 MB to 1 MB. Armor Command will actually run with very little texture memory available, but it won't look as good.
ááááááá Another issue to take into account when setting video resolutions is that your monitor might not be correctly set up for the resolution you are setting. This usually causes the game to appear too big, or too small, or not centered on your screen. You will have to adjust the monitor accordingly. This usually happens with the two lower resolutions: 512x384 and 640x400.
Software 3D Support Help
ááááááá For all of you who don't have a 3D accelerator in your computer, Armor Command features a proprietary high-performance, high-profile software rendering driver. This software 3D renderer is activated by going to the graphics options menu within the game, and selecting 'API 3D: SOFTWARE' in the topmost menu option. There's currently two different preset options: 'DIRECTDRAW SOFTWARE' and 'GDI SOFTWARE'.
DIRECTDRAW SOFTWARE is the default one, and it uses DirectDraw functions to manage the screen, change resolutions, etc. You need DirectX 3 or above installed in your computer.
GDI SOFTWARE is included for troubleshooting purposes only, and it uses standard Windows functions to handle the screen. It will change resolutions properly as selected, but it cannot change the pixel format from what Windows uses, so you will need to be running your Windows desktop at exactly 16 bits per pixel (32K colors or 64K colors), otherwise Armor Command will not work in this mode. To do this, go into the Display Control panel in Windows 95. To do this, first click on "Start" then "Settings" then click "Control Panel". This will open the Windows Control Panel. Double Click on the "Display" icon to open the Display Properties window. Then, click on the "Settings" tab. In here you can check the resolution that your Windows desktop is using, and the number of colors it's using. You should change it to 32000, 32768, 64000, 65536, 32K or 64K colors.
áááááá If you are using Windows 95 (or 98) and wish to set up Armor Command for software 3D, select the option that says "USE DEFAULT SOFTWARE" when you run Armor Command for the first time. If you have run the game before and selected something else, you have to select "OPTIONS" from the first menu in the game, then "GRAPHICS" and then "API: SOFTWARE" and "SETTINGS: RONIN DIRECTDRAW SW". For a more complete explanation of these settings, check the section "3D Acceleration Setup Help" below.
ááááááá For all you curious about what features the software 3D renderer supports, here is a full list:
16 bit color support (24 bit internally, dithered to the screen).
24 bit Zbuffer.
8 bit textures with per-triangle mip-mapping.
4 level bilinear dithering.
mono dithered modulation.
per-vertex fog color (RGB).
per-vertex specular lighting.
chroma-keying on texture maps.
additive blending (transparency).
half-size rendering (for increased performance).
approximated perspective correction on texture maps.
ááá In case you have a question or suggestion about software support for Armor Command, you can write email to: jcab@roningames.com (please note that this is a very busy mailbox, so you might never get an answer, although your mail will be read).
3D Acceleration Help
ááááááá If you already knowá which 3D accelerator your computer has, you might want to skip to the next section.
ááááááá Many of you might be wondering in reading through all this "Which 3D accelerator", or even you might not even know what's a 3D accelerator. Many of you might not even know if you have a 3D accelerator either. If you don't know, or you have doubts, you should read this text very carefully.
ááááááá First, you should know the difference between a 3D accelerator chipset, a 3D accelerator board, and a 3D accelerator vendor.
A 3D accelerator chipset makes up the insides of a 3D accelerator. It determines which features and capabilities are available for acceleration. Examples of 3D chipsets are: Voodoo2, V2200, Riva 128, ViRGE, T2R, Mpact 2, Permedia 2 and PowerVR PCX2, among others.
A 3D accelerator board (or 3D accelerator card, or 3D accelerator model) is a piece of hardware which is installed in a slot (usually a PCI or AGP slot) inside your computer. Often, it provides for all 2D display also, so it is the same board that interfaces your computer with your screen. Sometimes, it's a separate board like, for example, the m3D board from Matrox. This board always contains a chipset inside, which is the portion of it that actually provides the 3D acceleration. Examples of boards are: Monster 3D II, Fire GL 1000 Pro, Stealth II, Mystique, Velocity 128, Stingray 128/3D and Revolution 3D among others. Many 3D accelerator boards use standard chipsets (like the Monster 3D II board, which uses the Voodoo2 chipset). Others use their own chipset (like the Matrox Mystique board).
A 3D accelerator vendor (or 3D accelerator company, or IHV, or 3D accelerator brand) is how we call here a company that manufactures 3D accelerator boards and/or 3D accelerator chipsets. We always prefix the name of a chipsetor board with the name of a vendor. Examples of chipset vendors are 3Dfx, Rendition, 3Dlabs, Chromatic Research, S3 and Nvidia among others. Examples of board vendors are Diamond, Canopus, Number 9, STB, Jazz, Creative Labs, ATI and Matrox.
ááááááá In order to properly setup 3D acceleration for Armor Command, we will need to know which 3D accelerator board you are using or, if this is not possible, at least which chipset. It also helps to know how much RAM the board has. If you don't know, the following is a set of guidelines to help you find out:
The first thing you might do is look in the manual that came with your computer. It is also listed sometimes in the first screen that the computer displays when it's switched on. If you purchased your 3D accelerator board separately from your computer, you might find information about it on the box or in the manual of the board.
If this fails, another way you can check is to go into the Display Control panel in Windows 95. To do this, first click on "Start" then "Settings" then click "Control Panel". This will open the Windows Control Panel. Double Click on the "Display" icon to open the Display Properties window. Then, click on the "Settings" tab. In here you can check the resolution that your Windows desktop is using and the number of colors it's using. Once this is set, click on the "Advanced Properties" button in the bottom right corner of the Settings window. The "Adapter" window should open and list what video card you have. At the very top it will tell you which video driver (therefore which video card) you have. Under that it shows the "Adaptor/Driver information". It should list the card type, manufacturer, memory, features and other things.
ááááááá If you wish to see a list of the supported 3D accelerator boards and chipsets, click here.
3D Acceleration Setup Help
ááááááá Come to this point, we assume you know all the information needed to set up Armor Command for the best 3D acceleration.
ááááááá The first time you run Armor Command, you will get the following screen:
ááááááá If you press the down arrow and select the option that says "USE DEFAULT DIRECT3D", you will have your game configured for Direct3D use with a minimum of options enabled. This allows you to quickly jump into the game, but many features which are possibly supported by your board will not be used.
ááááááá If you press the down arrow twice and select the option that says "USE DEFAULT SOFTWARE", you will have your game configured for our proprietary software 3D renderer. This allows you to quickly jump into the game if you don't have 3D acceleration.
ááááááá To tune the game for your hardware, press RETURN or ENTER. This leads you into the 3D acceleration settings menu:
á
ááááááá The first preset settings are set as the same ones used in the previous "USE DEFAULT DIRECT3D" option above. You can move from line to line by pressing the UP and DOWN ARROW keys. The different lines in the menu allow you to choose the following:
API 3D: Using the LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys selects the API that will be used. The current options are: SOFTWARE, DIRECT3D and PROPRIETARY. PROPRIETARY is preferred wherever available. Press the RIGHT ARROW key to select it. If the next line says "SETTINGS: (NOT SET)" that means thee are no supported proprietary APIs in your computer, so switch back to DIRECT3D by pressing the LEFT ARROW KEY.
SETTINGS: Using the LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys selects the preset settings that will be used. Every preset setting modifies every other option throughout this whole menu, so if you select a new option here, be prepared to change any other options that you want customized. Each preset setting corresponds to a different supported board or chipset. Boards are all grouped first, with the chipsets last. Settings are sorted alphabetically by vendor within each type (board or chipset), and so vendors that manufacture both boards AND chipsets will be encountered twice when cycling through this menu. Note that not all existing boards are listed here. If your board doesn't appear here, even if it uses a known chipset, it might be because we didn't know about it at the time the game shipped. If it is so, press the RIGHT ARROW key repeatedly until you see the chipset name in this option.
SCREEN RESOLUTION: Using the LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys selects the screen resolution that will be used. Note that if you select a resolution that your board doesn't support (like, for example 512x384), the closest supported resolution will be used instead. Each preset setting specifies a default that we think works best with the BASIC configuration of the board or chipset. If you see the textures in a very low resolution, or if your settings don't work, it might be that the board doesn't have enough memory to support the resolution, and changing it to a lower resolution might help.
PERFORMANCE OPTIONS: Press RETURN or ENTER to change to a new menu that allows you to change lightweight options that might affect performance.
ADVANCED OPTIONS: Press RETURN or ENTER to change to a new menu that allows you to change very advanced options. This is provided for troubleshooting purposes only, as a convenience for you, and it's NOT SUPPORTED. Changing options there might eventually crash your computer and you might lose data. If you touch anything there, it'll be at your own risk.
TEST SETTINGS: Press RETURN or ENTER to test the currently selected options. The display will change to 3D mode, and a simple test animation will run. If, after a minute or so, you see nothing on the screen, you should press ESC. If, again, nothing happens in another minute, you should check the settings that you selected. If they are correct, consult customer support.
RETURN TO OPTIONS: Press RETURN or ENTER to exit this menu. If you hadn't tested your settings, another menu will appear asking you to do so.
ááá This should suffice to get you up and running with the best option for your machine.
á
If you are a hardware manufacturer and your board or chipset is not properly supported, please contact troyd@roningames.com.
We are working hard to support as many 3d accelerators natively as possible.
á
3D Accelerator Support
*Certified Support is Coming Soon
If your card is not listed, that doesn't mean it won't work. Many Video cards use the same chipsets.
The following 3d accelerators and chips are fully supported within Windows 95 running DirectX 5.0
Our software engine will compensate for any features that a particular chipset or board lacks!
Click here if you wouldá like to know more about 3d accelerators and what they do!
** Signifies that Updated Drivers are avaliable on our CD or Website for you to download. It is very important for you to run the latest video drivers. Problems have been reported with some cards that were using old drivers. Please contact the manufacturer of your card, or check their website to insure that you have the newest and latest driver avaliable.
ááá You may have to install updated DirectX 5.0, video or sound drivers for your system in order for Armor Command to work correctly. The CD will ship with many updated drivers for you. Please look in the directory called " x:/win95 video drivers/ " (where x is the letter of your CD-ROM drive) to find any of the updated video card drivers that we provide for you. Ronin Entertainment and Ripcord Games are not responsible for any of the content provided to us by third party video card companies. Installing these drivers is your responsibility, and we are not liable for any problems that might occur when installing these drivers.
á
á
Supported Chipsets:
#9 - Ticket to Ride**
3DFX - Voodoo**, Voodoo Rush**, Voodoo2*
ATI - Rage II**, Rage Pro**
Cirrus Logic - Laguna 3D
Rendition - Verite V1000**, V2200
Matrox - MGA 1164SG, 1064SG
3D Labs - Permedia**, Permedia 2**á
NEC - Power VRá
Nvidia - Riva 128
S3 - Virge**
Supported Manufacturers Cards
#9 - Revolution 3D*, Imagine 128*
ATI - Xpert@work**, Xpert@play**, All in Wonder
Canopus - Pure 3D**, Total 3D**
Creative Labs - Graphics Blaster Exxtreme, 3D Blaster
Diamond - Stealth 3D 2000**, Monster 3D**á , Monster 3D II*, Stealth II S220**, Viper V330**, FireGL1000**
Please go toáour publishers website www.ripcordgames.com for more information and help at this time
Here is the Important Technical Support Contact Information (Avaliable once the game ships)
Technical Support phone number: 206.654.7065
Technical Support fax: 206.223.9419
Operators available Mon-Fri 9-5 P.S.T.á
Technical support via e-mail tech@ripcordgames.com
Snail mail address Ripcord Games Technical Support
1009 120th Ave. NE
Kirkland, WA 98033
á
*Limited technical support will also be avaliable on our website at www.roningames.com . Once Armor Command Ships and patches become avaliable for download or help files are compiled. Keep checking back!
áJust as a graphics accelerator is optimized for making graphics appear on your screen as quickly as possible, and a multimedia accelerator contains specialized hardware for making video playback smooth and realistic, a 3D accelerator is designed to enhance performance when using software that presents a three-dimensional environment on your display.
áAlthough affordable 3D accelerators are new, people have been displaying three dimensional environments on two dimensional (flat) displays for years. Architects and engineers have used computers to create 3D projections of plans and models since the late 1960's. On the entertainment front, Atari's Battlezone, with its abstract geometrical shapes and cold green lines, was unleashed in 1982, and 3D charts and graphs have been a staple of spreadsheets and financial programs for years. The benchmark for quality is continually raised -- Doom was revolutionary when it was released in 1993, but today's 3D games like Duke Nukem 3D and MechWarrior II have advanced even further. Still, the large amount of computing work necessary to perform the mathematical calculations needed to draw complex 3D scenes has kept the level of graphics quality lower than that of non-3D games. Just compare the image quality of Doom to that of Myst for an example. As far as computing technology has gone, 3D games and applications have lots of potential to look even better.
áThis is where 3D accelerators come in. They can render a 3D scene much faster than the processor on your motherboard can. And, by performing this processor-intensive work, they free up the processor on your motherboard to work on other things. As a result, 3D games and applications can run at higher screen resolutions, with more colors, more realistically shaded and textured objects, all at more frames per second.
áThe results can be phenomenal. Imagine a first-person game with the speed and response of Doom but with the gorgeous, high resolution detail of Myst. Imagine arcade-quality graphics on your PC. Imagine workstation-level architectural rendering speed. Imagine using a VRML browser to cruise through staggeringly realistic virtual cyberspace worlds that come alive with liquid-smooth response.
áSimply put, 3D accelerators represent a quantum leap in affordable computing technology -- in the words of PC Gamer in their March, 1996 issue, "The potential is exciting. 3D acceleration technology actually gives game developers a way to develop superior games with far less time wasted worrying about hardware. It's a watershed event, comparable to the introduction of sound cards, CD-ROMs, or the original VGA card."
Software Support
áSeveral 3D APIs are coming into maturity, making it easier than ever to write a powerful 3D game or application. Some existing APIs are Intel's 3DR, Criterion's RenderWare, Argonaut's BRender, QuickDraw 3D Rave, 3Dfx's Glide, Microsoft's Direct3D.
ááá Which one is best? It depends on what sort of 3D program you're going to develop. Some are better for simulation and engineering; others are aimed at game developers. Some are attractive because they're cross-platform -- for example, BRender is useful for development on the PC and porting to the Sony PlayStation and other consoles. Direct3D has become the de facto standard for 3D development under Windows 95, but Glide and OpenGL have a large following that is growing stronger.
A Quick Course In 3D Terminology
á3D accelerators bring with them a whole new vocabulary. Here are brief definitions of the terms you'll find on a spec sheet or advertisement for a 3D accelerator:
API stands for application programming interface. It's a collection of routines, or a "cookbook," for writing a program that supports a particular type of hardware or operating system. A 3D API allows a programmer to create 3D software that automatically utilizes a 3D accelerator's powerful features. 3D engines can be very different when you program them at a low level by talking directly to registers and memory, so without an API that offered support for multiple 3D accelerators, it would be hard for a software developer to port their game or application to a lot of cards.á
Alpha blending is a technique which provides for transparent objects. A 3D object on your screen normally has red, green and blue values for each pixel. If the 3D environment allows for an alpha value for each pixel, it is said to have an alpha channel. The alpha value specifies the transparency of the pixel. An object can have different levels of transparency: for example, a clear glass window would have a very high transparency (or, in 3D parlance, a very low alpha value), while a cube of gelatin might have a midrange alpha value. Alpha blending is the process of "combining" two objects on the screen while taking the alpha channels into consideration û for example, a monster half-hidden behind a large cube of strawberry gelatin (hey, it could happen!) would be tinted red and blurred where it was behind the gelatin..
Fogging is just what it sounds like: the limits of the virtual world are covered with a haze. The amount of fog, color, and other particulars are set by the programmer.á
Depth cueing is reducing an object's color and intensity as a function of its distance from the observer. For example, a bright, shiny red ball might look duller and darker the farther away it is from the observer.
Both of these tools are useful for determining what the "horizon" will look like. They allow the developer to set up a 3D virtual world (for a game, interactive walk-through, and so on) without having to worry about extending it infinitely in all directions, or far-away items appearing as bright points that confuse the user -- features can fade away into the distance for a natural effect.
Most 3D objects are made up of polygons, which must be "colored in" in some fashion so they don't look like wire frames. Flat shading is the simplest method and the fastest. A uniform color is assigned to each polygon. This yields unrealistic results, and is best for quick rendering and other environments where speed is more important than detail. Gouraud shading is slightly better. Each point of the polygon is assigned a hue, and a smooth color gradient is drawn on the polygon. This is a quick way of generating lighting effects -- for example, a polygon might be colored with a gradient that goes from bright red to dark red.
Texture mapping is the most compelling and realistic method of drawing an object, and the version that most modern games like Doom require. A picture (this can be a digitized image, a pattern, or any bitmap image) is mapped onto the polygon. A developer designing a racing game might use this technology to draw realistic rubber tires or to place decals on cars.
This process is necessary for texture mapped objects to truly look realistic. ItÆs a mathematical calculation that ensures that a bitmap correctly converges on the portions of the object that are "farther away" from the viewer. This is a processor-intensive task, so itÆs vital for a state-of-the-art 3D accelerator to offer this feature. Just as importantly, the 3D accelerator must do this in a robust way in order to preserve realism. The quality of a 3D acceleratorÆs perspective correction is an excellent overall quality indicator.
This texture mapping technique uses multiple versions of each texture map, each at a different detail. As the object moves closer to or farther from the user, the appropriate texture map is applied. This results in objects with a very high degree of realism. It also speeds processing time by allowing the program to map more simple, less detailed texture maps to objects that are farther away.
Z-Buffering is a technique for performing "hidden surface removal" û the act of drawing objects so that items which are "behind" others arenÆt shown. Performing Z-buffering in hardware frees software applications from having to perform the intensive hidden surface removal algorithm.
